Stop Wasting Your Money

There are 2 kinds of people. Those who love Costco. And those who hate Costco.

I love it. I don’t really know why, but I do.

I was walking through Costco the other day and marvelling at the stuff that people load up on. There were light fixtures, entire living room sets, paddle boards, clothes, copious amounts of food, books, purses, pots and pans. So much stuff. And I had to wonder, do we really need all this stuff?

We buy all kinds of crap, don’t we?

Why?

Simple. We think it’s going to make our life better.

“Oh that pair of shoes will make me so happy!”

“The family will be closer with that tent!”

“I’ll be the best entertainer with this enormous bag of chips!”

“I’ll be healthier with this special product!”

We buy things to make life better. But does it work? We live in the the cushiest, most well-off, and stuff-full time and place. And are we happy? Is life better? The rate of consumerism would say that’s a hard no, because we aren’t slowing down on our crap-collecting.

So we can conclude that the amount of stuff and junk we have does not equal a better life.

What’s the answer? To stop buying stuff altogether? To go minimalist and throw everything away? I know people who’ve tried that and in my opinion, they don’t strike me as being any happier.

If buying stuff isn’t the answer, and not buying stuff isn’t the answer, then what is?

Buy intelligently.

Stop wasting money on the junk you want. Start spending your money on what you need.

Here’s a few things to keep in mind when it comes to wants and needs:

• A want is something that is often short-lived. If you go without it for awhile, your desire for it usually decreases. And equally short-lived, is the brief pleasure you get after obtaining what you want. Unfortunately, closets, drawers, and garages are full of wants, while bank accounts and human hearts are draining, because the wants aren’t what we need.
• Needs intensify the longer we go without them. And when we satisfy a need, the shine doesn’t wear off; it usually intensifies too.
• The problem is that we are quite familiar with what we want, but sometimes we couldn’t recognize a need if it slapped us in the face. A need is something that will help you become a better version of yourself. We tend to indulge our wants and deny our needs.
• When it comes to recognizing a want versus a need, ask yourself if this or that makes you a better version of yourself.
• If you are about to make a purchase, run every item through the filter, “Does this item help me be a better version of myself?” If yes, then find a way to make it happen, if no, then leave it there.
• Needs and wants are not always mutually exclusive. They often overlap. For example, I love ice cream and I always want ice cream. I could go broke on ice cream. But when the opportunity for ice cream presents itself, I run it through the filter, “Will this ice cream make me a better version of myself?” Sometimes the answer is no, so I choose not to have ice cream. Sometimes the answer is yes, and so I have ice cream!
• Getting to know your wants and needs is about getting to know yourself. It involves self-discovery, self-discipline, and self-honesty. No one can really do this work for you, but we can always support and encourage one another in our discernment and self-discipline.

The quickest way to save money is to stop wasting it. As the saying goes, You can never get enough of what you don’t really need.

Discover your unique needs and live a fulfilled life with our coaching program, Find Your Way: A Quick Guide to What Matters Most.

Here’s to Conquering Stress,

The Stress Experts